Kia is donating a Soul EV to The Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano, CA, for the automaker's third year of partnering with the non-profit group. Last year, the company contributed two electric car charging stations.

Porsche sits at the top of the J.D. Power Initial Quality Survey for the third consecutive year. However, the big improvement comes from the Korean brands, especially Kia. The average number of reported problems is also down compared to 2014.

Former Bentley Design Director Luc Donckerwolke might be moving to work for Hyundai and Kia. After Peter Schreyer's retirement in a couple of years, Donckerwolke could start leading the styling for both Korean brands.

Hyundai and Kia are looking to cut costs after four straight financial quarters of falling operating profits worldwide. The sibling automakers aren't saying officially how much they want to slash yet, but the amount could be significant.

Hyundai is considering a factory in Mexico in the coming years once the company grows a little more in the country. The plant would likely be in the state of Nuevo Leon, near the forthcoming Kia plant.

Western automakers continue to anticipate a nuclear deal between Iran and the West that will lift economic sanctions and allow the companies to access what is said to be the world's ripest emerging market.